"The
first floor of the home is very traditional in design regarding
all the woodwork and architectural details," explain
designers Michael Carter and Cathy Williams of Ken Michaels
Furniture. "Keeping that in mind, especially in our space
(the living room), we decided it was necessary to do a design that
complemented, rather than fought against, these design
elements." The room’s color palette accentuates these
details, and the red leather tufted barrel chairs offer a modern
take on Mediterranean style.

Now in its 18th
year, the annual Showhouse for a Cure is traditionally held in a
historic East Side home, but its presenting organization, WBCS Inc.,
took a new approach this year, instead selecting a newer home as its
2015 showhouse location. Built in 2004 and designed by Milwaukee-based
architectural firm Deep River Partners, Ltd., the Tuscan-style home sits
across the street from Atwater Park in Shorewood. "This house was
sited on this lot, and in my opinion, it couldn’t have been sited
better," says homeowner liaison Ellen Irion.

Above:
Interior design duo John Edbauer, ASID, and Jessica Forston of
Fringe Home Furnishings, Whitefish Bay, played off the home’s
Asian-inspired features and paneled elements when designing the
master bedroom. "We really were inspired by the architecture
of the house and combining that with an eclectic, casual
lifestyle," says Edbauer. The bed covering is by Dwell
Studio.

The asymmetrical
home’s position on the lot affords 180-degree panoramic views of Lake
Michigan. Its multiple levels and warm interior make it feel much more
intimate than its square footage (an expansive 5,762 square feet of
living space) suggests, which is an attractive feature, says Irion.
"Sometimes, the large homes are really hard for people to relate
to, but this is a very livable home," she says.

"We
wanted it to have a well-traveled feel — sort of a Renaissance
sense of thinking and being," says interior designer Jessica
Bertoni of the home’s elevated study and sitting area. Bertoni,
who works at Ethan Allen in Brookfield, filled the architecturally
rich room with showpieces and artwork from the store’s Modern
Masters series.

And despite its
youthful age, the home itself comes with its own unique history and
charm. Its lot, for example, was the last remaining single vacant lot in
Shorewood when it was sold, and Asian-inspired decor elements, like a
100-year-old antique iron pot from the Gan’su area of China, introduce
a new depth of character.

The showhouse will
open its doors on May 29, and tickets are $20 if purchased in advance.
The home, which features 13 rooms and more than 20 different design
spots, will be on view until June 14. Tickets can be purchased at
breastcancershowhouse.org or at various ticket outlets throughout the
area, and all proceeds benefit breast and prostate cancer research at
the Medical College of Wisconsin.

France
Lavin of France Lavin Design, Milwaukee, applied the philosophy of
"expect the unexpected" when developing concepts for the home’s
lower level. Instead of using the space as a children’s play area or
game room, she created a sophisticated adult area, complete with an
EchoSmart indoor firepit and birch tree murals. "This house has so
many outdoor spaces, so what a great place to come when it’s too
cold," says Lavin.

"It’s
a wonderful, big kitchen great for socializing, and we wanted to play up
that aspect," says interior designer Betsy Hoke of Sturgeon
Interiors, Ltd., Whitefish Bay. Hoke worked together with fellow
Sturgeon designer Claudia Francis to foster a place that encouraged
people to gather by incorporating multiple seating areas. Aqua and red
accents were chosen to help flow in the color schemes from the dining
and the living rooms.

For
interior designers Deb Zunker and Glenn Mielke of Boston Store Furniture
Gallery’s Interior Design Studio, inspiration was drawn from the
dining room’s ceiling medallion. "The colors, the texture, the
pattern — we pulled it out in the upholstery, especially in the
settee, because we thought it mimicked the ceiling’s abstract
pattern," explains Zunker. The duo also incorporated eye-catching
pieces from Milwaukee’s own David Barnett Gallery throughout the room,
again playing off the medallion’s vivid color scheme.